Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— दृष्ट्वा शून्यतमं रामः प्रियाहीनं तमाश्रमम्। वायसोलूकगृध्रौघक्रुङ्पक्षिसमाकुलम्॥१॥
Brahmā said: Rāma saw that hermitage utterly empty of his beloved and crowded with crows, owls, hosts of vultures, and other harsh-crying birds.
Passage 2
फेरवोकटुसंरावं मूर्च्छितद्रुमवल्लिकम्। अचैतन्यसमाविष्टो मूर्च्छितः पतितो भुवि॥२॥
Jackals filled it with cruel cries, and its trees and vines seemed to faint. Overcome by insensibility, Rāma lost consciousness and fell to the ground.
Passage 3
आर्यं तथाविधं दृष्ट्वा सौमित्रिः साधुलोचनः। आनीयाशु हिमं तोयमभ्यषिञ्जन्मुखं प्रभोः॥३॥
Seeing his noble brother in that condition, the virtuous-eyed son of Sumitrā quickly brought cold water and sprinkled the Lord's face.
Passage 4
शनैरुत्थापयामास भ्रातरं प्राणसम्मितम्। पश्यन् विरहजां चेष्टां विशीर्णहृदयोऽभवत्॥४॥
He slowly raised the brother who was as dear as life. Watching the signs of anguish born from separation, Lakṣmaṇa's heart broke. Rāma Calls for Sītā
Passage 5
श्रीराम उवाच— हा प्राणदयिते देवि हा हन्त जनकाङ्गजे। हा हन्त चन्द्रवदने हा हा कमललोचने॥५॥
Śrī Rāma said: “Alas, goddess dearer than life! Alas, daughter of Janaka! Alas, moon-faced and lotus-eyed one!
Passage 6
हा तन्वि रमणि क्वासि क्वासि हा प्राणदायिनि। हा हन्त वञ्चितोऽस्म्यद्य त्वया हठपरायणे॥६॥
“Alas, slender beloved, where are you? Where are you, giver of my life? Alas, obstinate lady, today you have deceived me.
Passage 7
हा कोमलवचोलापे हा कोकिलकलस्वरे। हा हन्त कोमलापाङ्गि क्वासि क्वासि विदेहजे॥७॥
“Alas, whose speech is tender and whose voice is sweet as a cuckoo's! Alas, soft-glancing daughter of Videha, where are you? Where are you?
Passage 8
कस्याञ्चिद्वनवल्ल्यां वा कस्मिंश्चिद्वनभूरुहे। कस्मिंश्चिद्वनगुल्मे वा संस्थितासि निलीय किम्॥८॥
“Are you hiding in some forest vine, some forest tree, or some thicket?
Passage 9
इतो गतासि हा देवि न जाने क्व गतासि वै। वनं गता वा हृदयं गता वासि नृपात्मजे॥९॥
“You have gone from here, goddess, but I do not know where. Princess, have you entered the forest, or have you entered my heart?
Passage 10
कोमलाभ्यामपाङ्गाभ्यामालोकय तथैव माम्। नापराधमहं किञ्चिदात्मनो वेद्मि जानकि॥१०॥
“Look upon me again with your two gentle sidelong glances. Jānakī, I know of no offense that I have committed.
Passage 11
तवैवाहं निदेशेन मृगाहरणकर्मणि। इतो गतोऽभवं देवि मायावञ्चितमानसः॥११॥
“It was only at your command that I left to capture the deer, goddess, my mind deceived by illusion.
Passage 12
को नारण्यं विशेद्देवि मृगयार्थं धनुर्धरः। को न स्वर्णमृगं गच्छेज्ज्यावामास्फाल्य धन्वनः॥१२॥
“What bowman would not enter the forest to hunt, goddess? Who would not pursue a golden deer after sounding the bowstring?
Passage 13
को न प्रियतमाभीष्टमाहर्तुं मृगयेत्तराम्। को जानाति जनो दैवं यद्रामं वञ्चयिष्यति॥१३॥
“Who would not hunt eagerly to bring his beloved what she desired? What person could know that fate itself would deceive Rāma?
Passage 14
धिग्दैवं मम मन्दस्य धिगद्यतनवासरम्। धिग्गतिं धिङ्मे व्यसनं यतोऽभूद् वञ्चनं मम॥१४॥
“Shame upon the fate of this fool, and shame upon this day! Shame upon my course and this calamity from which my deception arose.
Passage 15
कथं रुष्टासि नो वेद्मि कथं चालक्ष्यतां गता। त्वया विना क्षणमपि प्राणान् धर्तास्मि वा कथम्॥१५॥
“I do not know how you became angry or how you vanished from sight. Without you, how can I sustain my life for even a moment? He Appeals to the Forest
Passage 16
हा दैवं प्रतिकूलं मे किमकारणमेव च। क्व ताः शुभाशिषो नाम विहिता मे द्विजन्मभिः॥१६॥
“Alas, why has fate become hostile to me without cause? Where now are all the blessings pronounced over me by the twice-born?
Passage 17
हा पञ्चवटि को वेत्ति चिरेण त्वं समाश्रिता। ईदृशीं विपदं घोरां भवती मम दास्यति॥१७॥
“Alas, Pañcavaṭī! Who knew that after sheltering us for so long you would give me such a terrible calamity?
Passage 18
हा हन्त कुञ्जभूयिष्ठे सुभगे वनदेवते। मम दौर्भाग्यभारेण जाता त्वमपि दुर्भगा॥१८॥
“Alas, beautiful forest goddess rich in bowers! Under the weight of my misfortune, even you have become unfortunate.
Passage 19
हा हा पञ्चवटीवृक्षाः कृच्छ्रे यूयं समाश्रिताः। चिरेण पुष्टवन्तः स्म मां विपन्नं फलब्रजैः॥१९॥
“Alas, trees of Pañcavaṭī! You stood by me in hardship and long nourished me, now ruined, with clusters of fruit.
Passage 20
को जानाति विधेस्तत्त्वं विश्वस्तस्य ममेदृशम्। प्राणापहारविषमं दुष्फलं किल दास्यथ॥२०॥
“Who understands the truth of fate? I trusted you, yet now you give me this bitter fruit, terrible enough to steal my life.
Passage 21
हा तुङ्गवीचितरले गोदावरि चिरेण माम्। तोयैस्तर्पितवत्यम्ब द्रष्टुं दुःखमिदं महत्॥२१॥
“Alas, Godāvarī, trembling with lofty waves! Mother, for so long you refreshed me with your waters, only to see this great sorrow.
Passage 22
हा हन्त हृदयात्यर्थं काठिन्यगुणभाजन। प्राणेश्यामप्यलक्ष्यायां स्फुटसि द्राक् कथं च न॥२२॥
“Alas, heart, vessel of extreme hardness! When the mistress of my life has vanished, why do you not split apart at once?
Passage 23
आविर्भव प्रियेऽस्माद् वृक्षगुल्मलतावनात्। वञ्चयस्यधुना तन्वि किमकारणमेव माम्॥२३॥
“Appear, beloved, from this forest of trees, thickets, and vines. Slender one, why do you deceive me now without cause?
Passage 24
कथं दधाम्यहं प्राणांस्त्वां विना प्राणवल्लभे। सद्य आविर्भवामुष्मात्सान्द्रपञ्चवटीवनात्॥२४॥
“How can I preserve my life without you, beloved of my life? Appear at once from this dense Pañcavaṭī forest.
Passage 25
नादयन्ती पदन्यासैर्नूपुरे कलभाषिणी। किं नाग्रतो ममोपैषि पुरेव जनकात्मजे॥२५॥
“Sweet-speaking daughter of Janaka, why do you not come before me as before, making your anklets sound with every step?
Passage 26
स्फुरत्काञ्चीकलक्काण रणच्चरणनूपुरा। अये पूर्वमिवात्मानं प्रिये दर्शयसे न किम्॥२६॥
“Your flashing girdle rings and the anklets on your feet resound. Beloved, why do you not show yourself as you did before?
Passage 27
दर्शयस्व कुरङ्गाक्षि मुखं ते चन्द्रशीतलम्। ताम्यतस्तव विश्लेषाच्चकोराविव चक्षुषी॥२७॥
“Doe-eyed one, show me your face, cool as the moon. Separated from you, my two eyes languish like cakora birds.
Passage 28
इमां विरहजामार्तिमपूर्वानुभवां मम। विनाशय प्रिये सद्यो मुखचन्द्रं प्रदर्शय॥२८॥
“Beloved, end at once this anguish of separation that I have never felt before; reveal the moon of your face.
Passage 29
म्रियन्ते हि मम प्राणाः स्खलतीव मनो मम। विगलन्तीव मेऽङ्गानि विरहे तव सम्प्रति॥२९॥
“My life-breaths are dying, my mind seems to falter, and in separation from you my limbs now seem to dissolve.
Passage 30
प्राणेशि स्वस्य हृदयाद् द्राक् काठिन्यमपाकुरु। दर्शनं देहि मे सद्यो गच्छतोऽसून् निवारय॥३०॥
“Mistress of my life, cast hardness quickly from your heart. Grant me sight of you now and stop my departing life-breaths.
Passage 31
हा हन्त स्वर्णहरिणच्छदना विधिरेव माम्। प्रसभं वञ्चयामास को वेत्ति पुनरीदृशम्॥३१॥
“Alas, fate itself, disguised as the golden deer, has violently deceived me. Who could have known such a thing? Grief Turns Toward a Vow of Recovery
Passage 32
हा हन्त लक्ष्मण भ्रातस्त्वयि विश्वस्तमानसः। निधाय प्राणदयितां गतोऽहं मृगहेतवे॥३२॥
“Alas, brother Lakṣmaṇa! Trusting in you, I left the beloved of my life and went after the deer.
Passage 33
जवेन स त्वमधुना देहि प्राणप्रियां मम। नो चेत्त्यक्ष्याम्यहं प्राणानिति मे निश्चितं मतम्॥३३॥
“Quickly, now give me back my beloved. Otherwise I shall abandon my life—this is my settled resolve.
Passage 34
आनयस्व प्रियां सद्यः सौमित्रे मां यदीच्छसि। क्व मे प्राणेश्वरी याता पर्णशालामविष्ठिता॥३४॥
“Son of Sumitrā, if you care for me, bring my beloved at once. Where has the mistress of my life gone from the leaf-hut where she stayed?
Passage 35
सोढानि किं नु भवता दुर्वाक्यान्यपि लक्ष्मण। त्वयि विन्यस्य तां यातः कं नु पृच्छामि सम्प्रति॥३५॥
“Lakṣmaṇa, what harsh words did you endure? I entrusted her to you and left—whom can I question now?
Passage 36
को मे प्राणप्रियां तावदपहृत्याश्रमस्थिताम्। स्थापयिष्यति तं भित्त्वा सद्य आनय लक्ष्मण॥३६॥
“Who abducted my beloved while she remained at the hermitage? Discover him and bring her back at once, Lakṣmaṇa.
Passage 37
यो मेऽपहृतवान् प्राणदयितां विपिनादितः। भित्त्वाहं तस्य हृदयमानेतास्मि शितैः शरैः॥३७॥
“Whoever has carried my life-beloved away from this forest—I shall pierce his heart with sharp arrows and bring her back.
Passage 38
मही जलं वा तेजो वा मरुद्वा नभ एव च। वनं वा वनवृक्षो वा वने गुल्मलतापि वा॥३८॥
“Whether it is earth, water, fire, wind, or the sky; whether forest, forest tree, thicket, or vine—
Passage 39
वन्यो वा वनदेवी वा गिरिर्वा भित्तिरेव वा। देवोऽसुरो मनुष्यो वा यक्षो गन्धर्व एव वा॥३९॥
“Whether a forest being, forest goddess, mountain, or wall; whether god, asura, human, yakṣa, or gandharva—
Passage 40
को मे प्राणप्रियां हृत्वा निनाय रहसि स्थिताम्। भित्त्वाहं तस्य हृदयं जवात्सुनिशितैः शरैः। आनेतास्मि बलान्नो चेत्स्वत आनीय दातु मे॥४०॥
“Who has stolen my beloved while she stayed alone? I shall swiftly split his heart with keen arrows and recover her by force if he does not willingly bring her back to me.”
Passage 41
इति विलपनवाक्यैः क्लिष्ट आर्यस्य तावत् सपदि गलितवक्त्रश्रीः सुमित्रातनूजः। न किमपि समवोचद्भूरिसंतप्तचेता विधिविहितमजस्रं मग्नधीः शोचयानः॥४१॥
Tormented by his noble brother's words of lament, Sumitrā's son at once lost the luster of his face. His heart deeply scorched and his mind submerged in grief over fate's unceasing decree, he could say nothing at all.